Hold Fast Your Confession

¹⁹ Therefore, brethren, having ^(A)boldness^[a] to enter ^(B)the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by a new and ^(C)living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, ²¹ and having a High Priest over the house of God, ²² let us ^(D)draw near with a true heart ^(E)in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. ²³ Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for ^(F)He who promised is faithful. ²⁴ And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, ^25 (G)not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and ^(H)so much the more as you see ^(I)the Day approaching.

Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ^(A)

¹³ When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, ^(B)“Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”

¹⁴ So they said, ^(C)“Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or ^(D)one of the prophets.”

¹⁵ He said to them, “But who do ^(E)you say that I am?”

¹⁶ Simon Peter answered and said, ^(F)“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

¹⁷ Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, ^(G)for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but ^(H)My Father who is in heaven. ¹⁸ And I also say to you that ^(I)you are Peter, and ^(J)on this rock I will build My church, and ^(K)the gates of Hades shall not ^[a]prevail against it. ^19 (L)And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth ^[b]will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Dealing with a Sinning Brother

¹⁵ “Moreover ^(A)if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, ^(B)you have gained your brother. ¹⁶ But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ^(C)‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ ¹⁷ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a ^(D)heathen and a tax collector.

¹⁸ “Assuredly, I say to you, ^(E)whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

^19 (F)“Again^[a] I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, ^(G)it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three are gathered ^(H)together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

The Great Commission^(A)

¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain ^(B)which Jesus had appointed for them. ¹⁷ When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some ^(C)doubted.

¹⁸ And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ^(D)“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ^19 (E)Go ^[a]therefore and ^(F)make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ^20 (G)teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am ^(H)with you always, even to the end of the age.” ^[b]Amen.

A Vital Church Grows

⁴⁰ And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this ^[a]perverse generation.” ⁴¹ Then those who ^[b]gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. ^42 (A)And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ ^[c]doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Paul and Barnabas Are Sent to the Gentiles

13 Now ^(A)in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: ^(B)Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, ^(C)Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. ² As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, ^(D)“Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work ^(E)to which I have called them.” ³ Then, ^(F)having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.

Strengthening the Converts

²¹ And when they had preached the gospel to that city ^(A)and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, ²² strengthening the souls of the disciples, ^(B)exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, ^(C)“We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.” ²³ So when they had ^(D)appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

The Ephesian Elders Exhorted

¹⁷ From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church.

²⁷ For I have not ^[a]shunned to declare to you ^(A)the whole counsel of God. ^28 (B)Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit ^(C)has made you overseers, to shepherd the church ^[b]of God ^(D)which He purchased ^(E)with His own blood. ²⁹ For I know this, that after my departure ^(F)savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. ³⁰ Also ^(G)from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking ^[c]perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.